Conventional assembly job tracking systems rely on employee input. Employee input may include some level of automation, e.g., swiping a magnetic card, stamping time cards, or the like, but generally require some form of manual data entry into the tracking system. Some conventional tracking systems include one or more data entry stations. The data entry stations are typically located in central locations within assembly floors to facilitate the data entry task. Data entry for tracking purposes requires time that would better used to assemble or manufacture the final products, i.e., generating income. However, there is still some time wasted in the entry of tracking data. For example, even if the entry station is centrally located, entry of tracking data, e.g., job number and time between assembly process steps, requires employees to travel back and forth to the data entry station.
In addition, this time consuming data entry process is subject to errors in the tracking data collected. Since in most circumstances there is some amount of data that is manually entered by the employees, human error becomes a factor in the integrity of the data collected. In addition, the conventional tracking process relies heavily on worker discipline, e.g., requires the employee to remember to enter tracking data between jobs. The amount of data collected is generally very limited in an effort to expedite the process since the tracking data entry takes up valuable labor time that could more efficiently be used in the assembly process.
Due to the limited amount of tracking data collected, accurate account of the status of each job and the location of the job's inventory typically becomes a manual audit by actually walking the assembly area. Further, with the limited amount of tracking data it is difficult to detect assembly steps causing bottlenecks, what the most efficient use of the equipment is, or to accurately track worker efficiency, worked hours, and the like.
Accordingly, there is a need for an assembly job tracking system that automatically tracks simultaneously different pieces of inventory for a job, employee efficiency and working time, and actual locations of inventory “in progress” to efficiently track and report various parameters of job related assembly, including time, cost, status, and equipment and employee related efficiencies.